Baseball stars, notables come out at Flagler

Wednesday night's "Dine with the Stars" was a way to bring awareness and a little cash for the Flagler College baseball team. It turned into a celebration of baseball itself.

With a speaking panel filled with baseball lifers, including Philadelphia Phillies manager Charlie Manuel, one man after another professed their love for the game, each in his own way.

"I've been in baseball 45 years, and I feel like I never went to work," Manuel said.

In a display of his enthusiasm for the game, Manuel concluded the night with a rendition of "My Most Memorable Day," a poem he composed with the help of some of his friends from his days with the Minnesota Twins.

"I go to a lot of high schools and colleges," said Manuel, who lives in Winter Haven during the offseason. "I like to be around baseball. I've been in baseball all my life."

Manuel got tied up in something of a poetry contest with Jacksonville Suns president Peter Bragan Jr. Bragan is famous for his memorization of "Casey at the Bat," and he recited it Wednesday.

Among the other speakers were former scout Chris Lein, Detroit Tigers third base coach Gene Lamont, Tigers pitcher Jason Grilli and former major league manager and player Johnny Goryl.

Lamont, also a former major league manager and player, and Goryl each have sons who play for Flagler.

"They're both going to be valuable members of the team," Flagler coach Dave Barnett said. "You just hope they have a good experience in the program."

Barnett said getting Goryl and Lamont to speak was easy. When he asked them if they knew anybody else who might be interested, he ended up with a manager of a contender in the National League and a member of the American League champions who pitched in the World Series.

"It really worked out better than I'd hoped," Barnett said.

Grilli addressed the members of the Flagler baseball team, who were in attendance. He told them to enjoy the college experience.

"If I ever do coach, it'll be at the college level," Grilli said.

The former Seton Hall star had played in just 18 big league games in four different seasons before becoming a key member of the Tigers bullpen last year.

He was in the Florida Marlins organization when they won their last World Series title. He was with the Chicago White Sox in 2004 and then watched them win the title while playing for the Tigers organization in 2005. He finally got it right last season, appearing in two World Series games.

"I'd rather lose in the World Series than never have played at all," he said. "(But) it's made me hungry. We were so close to it."

Former Flagler star Chris Barnwell was originally scheduled to be on hand but had a scheduling conflict. He became the first Flagler player to make the major leagues last year when he appeared for the Milwaukee Brewers.

Flagler will retire Barnwell's jersey on Friday prior to the Saints' season opener against Tennessee Wesleyan.